Here are today’s leading news stories:

Politics

-- Vietnamese State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc chaired a High-Level Open Debate on ‘Cooperation between the United Nations and regional organizations in enhancing confidence-building and dialogue in conflict prevention and resolution,’ which was held in both online and in-person formats on Monday, the Vietnam News Agency reported.

COVID-19 Updates

-- The Ministry of Health confirmed four imported COVID-19 cases in Ho Chi Minh City, Yen Bai, Phu Yen, and Tay Ninh on Monday evening, raising the country’s tally to 2,791, with 2,475 recoveries and 35 deaths.

Society

-- A four-year-old baby died after falling from the 24th floor of an apartment building in Ha Dong District, Hanoi while the mother was doing the dishes at around 8:30 pm on Monday.

-- A power outage occurred in Cu Chi District, Ho Chi Minh City and lasted for multiple hours on Monday afternoon after 16 utility poles were uprooted by a heavy rain and strong wind.

-- A 41-year-old man who was a porter at a transport company was sentenced to death by the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Court on Monday for murdering two of his co-workers in March 2020.

-- Police in Da Lat City, located in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong, have arrested a 23-year-old woman for selling milk tea mixed with cannabis to local residents and some visitors.

-- Officers in the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau confirmed on Monday they had captured a 46-year-old man for murdering and raping a five-year-old girl last weekend.

-- A four-year-old child was killed while another was hospitalized after eating dog poison that looked similar to lollipops in the Central Highlands province of Dak Nong on Monday.